Frequently Asked Questions

Accounts

Q: Do I need an account to use ARMSLIST?

No. You can perform all of the major functions without creating an account.

If you are a frequent user of ARMSLIST, you can create an account that will save you time performing repeated tasks.
What are these features you ask?

Ability to bypass confirmation emails
Ability to have your email address pre-filled when creating listings or sending messages
Ability to view/edit listings you have made in the past in a single consolidated interface

Q: What is OpenID?

OpenID is a system that allows you to use a single login for a variety of different websites. OpenID works by allowing you to select a provider that you already have an account with, such as Google, AOL, or Yahoo. Login is transferred to the selected provider. The provider verifies your login information and control is transferred back to ARMSLIST.

Q: Why use OpenID?

It seems that every website requires you to create an account. You end up with tons of usernames and passwords that you have to try to remember. OpenID allows you to reuse these logins in a secure way. Basically, it's simpler.

Premium Vendor Account

Q: How do I get a Premium Vendor account?

Please head to Create an Account in the top right hand corner of the page. You will be prompted to select either a free (non-vendor), or Premium Vendor account. Choose Premium Vendor and head through the billing setup process. We will approve your account as soon as we've received your FFL or business license.

Q: How much does a Premium Vendor account cost?

A Premium Vendor account currently costs $30 per month or $300 for a one-year subscription.

Q: I've created a Premium Vendor account. Why does it say "Free Account - Upgrade Pending"?

We are still waiting to receive your FFL or business license. Please send it to us via our Contact Us page. We will activate your account as soon as we review it.

Q: What features do I get as a Premium Vendor?

The following features enhance your ability to move inventory, drive internet traffic to your own website, as well as drive foot traffic through your front door:

Enhanced virtual storefront
Hyperlinks to your website or URL of your choosing
Listing history
Page view counter on all listings
Ability to create up to 500 listings. You are still required to abide by anti-spamming rules.
Skip listing confirmation email
Pre-fill email address
Auto-select HOME location
Display dealer profile in listings
Skip reCaptcha during listing creation
Listings cannot be flagged
Users can now search by “Dealers that Ship” to more easily find you!
Direct access to our development team for questions, problems, or feature requests.

In addition to these benefits, we'll be implementing additional features for building virtual stores and allowing integration of your listings into your own websites as the vendor program matures and we get more feedback.

Q: How do I create new listings as a Premium Vendor?

After your premium subscription has been activated by our staff, you will need to create a vendor profile. There is a link on the account home page that will allow you to create your vendor profile. After you have created your vendor profile, new listings will automatically be created as "Premium Vendor" listings.

Q: How do I upgrade existing listings to Premium Vendor listings?

You must first create a vendor profile via the account home page. After you have a vendor profile, please contact our staff via the contact us page to have your existing listings upgraded.

General

Q: I do not see the CAPTCHA and cannot send a message?

Please ensure you do not have security software or ad removal software running while browsing ARMSLIST. Software such as AdBlock may cause certain pages to fail to load correctly. If you are using Internet Explorer 6.0 please upgrade to a newer browser.

Q: I have contacted a seller and not received a response.

If you have not gotten a response, the item has likely been sold. You can look for the item from another seller. Additionally, you can flag the listing as unresponsive and it will eventually be removed from the site.

Q: Dealers are overrunning the site, can you ban them?

In short no, there are a number of features that enable you to filter out vendors. On the category selection page, there are links that allow you to view "private party" or "dealer" versions of the category. Additionally, on the category listings page, there are filters on the left side of the screen that allow you to toggle "private party", "vendor", or "all sellers". If you have old bookmarks, please save new ones with these filters applied appropriately.

Q: Can you tell me if an item is still for sale?

Please contact the seller directly. ARMSLIST does not get involved in transactions.

Q: Can you help me contact a seller?

Please use the built in tool for contacting a seller.

Q: When I visit Armslist I get a popup and/or redirected to another site. Can you help?

ARMSLIST does not allow popups in any way; via ad partners or in post content. If you're seeing a popup or are being redirected to another site or app within your system, it is likely that your device has run into malicious code that is hijacking your browser. Depending on your device type, some solutions are as follows:

Notebook/Desktop: Run a virus scanner on your system. All of the major virus protection software vendors offer a free 30 day trial which will allow you to resolve the current issue and evaluate your virus scanning needs over the course of the month.

Iphone/Android/Windows Phone/Tablet: Antivirus apps do exist for phone/tablet devices however the value of these apps is not clear at this time and it may be possible to simply clear your browser cache to rid your device of the problem software. Examples for some of the major mobile browser types follow; use a search engine to query for 'clear browser cache' and your specific device and browser type if your default browser is not mentioned. Keep in mind that the malicious software may actually be an app that you've installed recently, take an inventory of the apps and evaluate their safety.

Q: I'm not receiving emails from your site? My ISP is Comcast

STEP 1: Login to http://customer.comcast.com with your Comcast email address and password.
STEP 2: Click on Users and Preferences.
STEP 3: Under Email Settings, next to Spam filter, click the Edit button*.
* If you do not see an Edit button, you are probably logged in as a Restricted account. Your primary Comcast username is an Unrestricted account, and can make other sub-accounts Unrestricted. You can call 1-800-COMCAST to have them walk through making your account Unrestricted so you can change your Spam Filter settings.
STEP 4: Click Disable Spam filter and click SAVE. Then click OK to confirm.

Listings

Q: How do I create a listing?

Scroll to the very top of the page. To the right of the logo is a button that says "Create a Listing" as shown in the image. Alternatively, follow this link to create a listing.

Enter your listing information. A confirmation email will be sent to the provided email address. Activate your listing by clicking the link in this confirmation email. Your listing will appear within a few minutes.

Q: I have created a listing, but why didn't I get the confirmation email?

Usually, emails are delivered without issue and within a few minutes. Please perform the following actions:

Ensure you are filling in the correct email address when creating your listing.
Ensure you are checking the same email account that you used to create the listing
Check your SPAM, JUNK or BULK MAIL folder.
Use a free email service such as Google's GMail, AOL, or Hotmail.

Q: I've lost my confirmation email, how can I edit/delete my listing?

Your confirmation email can be resent by clicking the "Edit" link on your listing page. Or you can access the Resend Confirmation page directly but you will need to enter the ID for your listing.

Q: I have created/update a listing and do not see it, what should I do?

Be patient. For performance reasons, the listings pages are only updated every few minutes. If it has been more than an hour and you do not see your listing, please contact us as your listing may have been trapped in our spam filters.

Q: How do I completely remove a listing?

There is no way to completely remove a listing, but you can deactivate your listing. Deactivating your listings will prevent buyers from being able to contact your and will remove your listings from displaying in searches.

Q: Can you increase the size limit to allow me to upload more than 1 picture?

The size limit is to reduce the amount of processing our servers have to perform. If you would like to upload more pictures, please resize your images to 800x600 prior to uploading them.

Q: What is the correct category for my listing?

The "Guns" classifieds section is for the sale, trade, or intended purchase of firearms, parts, and ammunition only. Posting items in this section that are NOT firearms, parts, or ammunition is in direct violation of these terms.

The "Outdoors Gear" classifieds section is for the sale, trade, or intended purchase of outdoors equipment. Posting items that are NOT outdoors equipment is in direct violation of these terms.

Items that are do not fit into "Guns" or "Outdoors Gear" that are for sale or trade in exchange for firearms should be posted in the "Other Items" section.

Q: Can I post my listing in multiple locations?

No. You should create the listing in the location where you and your item are physically located.

Q: But what if I can ship my item?

No, one location, and one location only. If someone finds it in their home location, they assume they can go to your location and make a deal. If they find it in a faraway location, they assume it must be shipped. Your listing will still be found through searches. There is also the option to select "Willing to Ship" when creating your listing. Browsers are then able to filter by "Dealers that Ship" when searching for an item.

Q: Can I post in nearby states?

No, this confuses people. If they want to look at an item in your location, they will browse your location, or find it through searching.

Q: What about nearby cities?

No, this also confuses people. Users look at listings in the cities where they live and shop.

Q: Can I re-post my items for sale once per day until they sell?

No, duplicate listings are not permitted. You can use the built in bump feature keep your listing new.

Q: Ok so tell me clear and simple, how does this work?

One item for sale = one listing, in one location.

But what if I...

But I saw a guy that...

No

One item, one listing, one location, period. Play by the rules.

Transactions

Q: Can ARMSLIST help me conduct a transaction?: ARMSLIST is purely a service provider that allow sellers to list items. As such, ARMSLIST can not and will not be a party in transactions. It is the sole responsibility of the buyer and seller to conduct safe and legal transactions.
Q: Can ARMSLIST contact a seller for me or provide me with information about a user?: Due to our privacy policy, ARMSLIST can only provide information to law enforcement during due process of law.
Q: How can I ensure transactions are conducted safely and legally?: Please contact your local sheriff's office and ATF branch office to learn how to conduct proper transfers in your area.
Q: What is the safest way to conduct out-of-area transfers?: ARMSLIST was designed for local interactions, please use the site accordingly.

Scams

Q: What should I do if I suspect a listing is a scam?

Please flag the listing as "scam", this will remove the listing from the site. Please contact us with a link to the listing so we can remove the listing.

Q: How do I avoid scams?

Follow these common sense rules to help avoid getting scammed:

Deal locally and transact in person - This will help you avoid almost all scams
Never send Cashiers Checks or Money Orders to sellers
Never wire money via Western Union, Moneygram, or other wire services
Never accept Cashiers Checks or Money Orders as they can be easily faked
Never give out financial information
Avoid deals involving shipping or escrow services
If a deal is too good to be true, it probably is
ARMSLIST is not involved in any transaction, we do not handle payments, guarantee transactions, provide escrow services, or offer "buyer protection" or "seller certification"

Q: What should I do if I've been scammed?

Please do the following:

Contact your local police department via their non-emergency number
File a report via the Internet Fraud Complaint Center
Contact us and include the URL to the listing so we can remove the listing.

Q: Can ARMSLIST help if I've been scammed?

We take every precaution to prevent scammers from using the site. Unfortunately, beyond our efforts to prevent scammers there is little we can do.

You are the best resource to prevent and stop scammers. Please take the steps listed previously if you are the victim of a scam. Also, please refer to our tips and heed the warnings on the site on how to prevent getting scammed.

Q: Can ARMSLIST provide me with more information about a scammer?

Due to our privacy policy, ARMSLIST can only provide information to law enforcement during due process of law.

Flagging

Q: Why was my listing flagged?: Flagging is a result of peer review. Numerous users of the site must flag a listing before it is deactivated. Please refer to the following FAQ answers for explanation of what rules apply to each flagging rule.
Q: My listing was incorrectly flagged, can ARMSLIST reinstate it?: Due to our policies, ARMSLIST cannot reinstate your listing. Please relist your item, it is a free site.
Q: My listing has been flagged several times, what should I do?: Please address any issues with your listing as defined in the flagging rules below. If it continues to be repeatedly flagged, please stop creating the listing or usage of the site may be suspended.
Q: I am no longer able to create listings, why is this?: Your privileges may have been removed as a result of your listings being repeatedly flagged.
Q: What is spamming?: Spamming includes but is not limited to listings that do not pertain to the subject matter of the site (firearms and outdoors activities), posting the same material in more than one category, and posting the same material in more than one location. The site is designed to allow searching across local, state, the entire country. DO NOT create listings in more than one location.
Q: What are inflammatory listings?: Inflammatory listings include but are not limited to listings directly addressing an individual or group of persons, listings that use profanity, or are not goods for sale, trade, or intended purchase.
Q: Why was my listing moved to a different category?: Your listing may be moved to a different category if several users flag it and move it to a new category.
Q: Why was my non-firearm related item flagged?: The users of this site control which items are removed. This site is intended for firearms, ammunition, and accessories. If your non-firearms related item is repeatedly flagged, please take it to a site that was designed for that type of item.
Q: My listing is not appearing, why is this?: We have a number of filters that prevent listings from appearing on the site. Attempting to SPAM the site or using profanity are the most likely causes of a listing not appearing.

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